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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25905805">The Cost of Victory</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KE12/pseuds/KE12'>KE12</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mass Effect Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Control Ending</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 01:57:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,939</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25905805</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KE12/pseuds/KE12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The citadel is losing a war for its very survival, resulting in an Asari being sent to befriend a devil hiding in the shadows. </p>
<p>One-shot that I have been playing around with.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>n/a</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>An Asari in her later matron years looks down to a console in front of her, not entirely sure what all the buttons and controls do, she is no pilot, but she knows enough to direct her shuttle towards a certain vector and at a set speed. Her craft is large for a shuttle, but Laima's mother is rich enough to afford the best of the best, even in the current dire climate. </p>
<p>Liama's mission is one of hope, and a desperate last-ditch effort to find aid for her people. 468 Years after the Reapers left without explanation another species invaded the galaxy, while they may not be as advanced as the Reapers were, they came with numbers that the Citadel simply couldn't hope to repel. The initial battles actually went well for the Citadel, but, when the full force of the invading Vong arrived, their superior firepower and numbers simply left the Citadel begging for friends. At first, the Terminus systems sat the conflict out, but when the Vong started to creep into their turf, the lawless systems began to resist along with their Citadel brethren. </p>
<p>Month after month, territory was lost to the Vong, planets that were lost were bombarded from orbit till their commanding forces surrendered unconditionally. No amount of Krogan or Vorcha troops could turn the battles. Some land battles were fought, which the Citadel often won, but they were too far between to turn the tide of the war. </p>
<p>Eventually, the Vong hit Illium, and Liama was sent by her mother to the darkest regions of the Milkyway, to a set of coordinates surrounded by nothing but emptiness and dead space. There are no planets here, no relays, nor anything of value. Before her mother could explain what she was looking for, the connection was interrupted, and Liama can only hope she knows what she is looking for when she sees it. </p>
<p>It has now been five months since she set off, with still no signs of life or anything of value, and hope is quickly fading. The war has probably continued to go badly for the Citadel, but out in these dark parts of the great void, Liama has no way to know. With a defeated sigh, Liama checks the clock for the time before deciding to go to bed, with the small hope that maybe tomorrow will bring something of interest to her sensors. </p>
<p>/...../</p>
<p>Hearing some commotion from her shuttle's kitchen, Liama stirs from her slumber, thinking that the VI which clears up after her has had a malfunction. Not bothering to get dressed Liama stumbles into her shuttles small kitchen, only to freeze the moment the kitchens door opens. Instead of a VI cleaning her plates, a Human is raiding her fresh coffee supplies, supplies that she won't be able to replenish this far out into the void, and supplies she has been saving for a special day. "You know," The Human says without turning to view Liama, "It has been centuries since I had real stuff." </p>
<p>Liama shakes her head before loudly saying, "What you doing on my ship!" She readies her biotics just in case. </p>
<p>The Human doesn't turn around to face Liama as they point to a nearby window that looks out into the void, "You are here looking for me." </p>
<p>Liama dares to look out the window for a split second, and when she sees what is waiting for her, her blood turns cold. Outside the ship is an unmistakeable Reaper, its orange eyes appear to be looking in through the shuttles small window,  "A Reaper?" She whispers, knowing she is looking at Harbinger. </p>
<p>The Human still hasn't turned around as she now pours milk into her mug. "1 Million, 468 thousand, 391 Reapers to be precise. Enough to darken the skies on each citadel world."  </p>
<p>With her coffee made the Human turns around to face Liama, and the Asari notices a few things. The Human has red hair, her eyes glow bright red, her skin also has spots that glow bright red, but her face is recognisable. "You are the Shepard." </p>
<p>The Human takes a sip before saying, "Now that is a name I haven't heard in a long time, a long time." </p>
<p>"But you are! I would recognise that face anywhere. There are hundreds of theories as to what happened to you and the Reapers after the Citadel... And just what are you doing with the Reapers?" </p>
<p>The Human seems to reminisce for second before their face turns stoic, "You have come looking for us, why?" </p>
<p>Liama shakes her head as she adjusts to the Humans change in attitude, "My mother, my mother sent me, she hoped whatever I found here would help us win a war." </p>
<p>"Hasn't your mother had enough of the Reapers?" Shepard asks sharply, "Has she already forgotten the horrors they bring?" </p>
<p>"No! We remember their horrors, and my mother should know, she fought alongside you." </p>
<p>The Human puts their mug down, "Your a T'Soni? She should be smarter than that. How badly are you losing? Is it the Krogan?" </p>
<p>"Yes I'm a T'Soni, and what? No! We are fighting people from outside our galaxy, they call themselves the Vong, they are on the verge of victory." </p>
<p>Shepard shakes her head, "Huh, took less time than expected, thought at least a thousand years. I can't help you." </p>
<p>"Can't or won't?" Asks the Asari pointedly. "I was sent here for help, and I'm not leaving till I get it." </p>
<p>"Then your not leaving." Shepard replies harshly, "I brought them here to decay and rot, to keep away from people who wanted to use them in war. I also see you have your mothers stubbornness." </p>
<p>The Asari is silent for a second before asking, "What happened to you? The Shepard my mother knows would never abandon her people." </p>
<p>"If you haven't noticed." Shepard replies with some anger in her voice, "I reek of Reaper. Their technology flows in my blood, and their thoughts whisper to me every second of every day, even in my dreams. They would love nothing more than for me to cave into your wishes." </p>
<p>"So the galaxy is doomed." Liama iterates, "The Asari, your people, the Turians, the Krogan. The Great Commander Shepard has failed them all." </p>
<p>"What would you have me do?" Asks Shepard once more with anger, and a noticeable Reaper tone in her voice, "I unleash them, and I can not guarantee they will stop with your Vong, I can't even guarantee I will stop with the Vong. Their lust is beyond comprehension, their understanding of conflict beyond anything you can imagine. Do you know how I spend my free time? Imagining new ways to conquer the galaxy. They spend their free time doing exactly the same, but with a ruthlessness you could never dream." </p>
<p>"Good. We need the Reapers." </p>
<p>Before Liama's eyes the image of Shepard changes into a grotesque Banshee, and it is only now that Liama realises that the image of Shepard was being powered by the holographic projectors in her shuttle. The Banshee takes a few strides forward before it is in Liama's face, "Say that to this face." It screeches with its contorted vocal cords. </p>
<p>Liama closes her eyes as she remembers all her friends that have died fighting the Vong. With determination, she opens her eyes and says, "We need the Reapers."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Hand of the Beast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shepard goes to the Citadel, with an offer.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1 month later</p>
<p>The citadel had not changed much in the 468 years that she had been away, people are still using the Reaper station as a grand refugee hub, and there is an unmistakable stink of desperation in the air. As Shepard walks down Memorial Avenue, she notices the many stares that are sent her way. Maybe they stare because her face adorns one of the memorials, or perhaps it is the blatant Reaper technology that courses through her veins and pierces out from under her skin, or maybe people simply recognise her for who she once was. Whatever their reason to stare, Shepard does not care, she knows what she looks like, she knows what she has become in her solitude with the Reapers. She knows she has become more, and sometimes, she knows she has lost her humanity.</p>
<p>Looking around her surroundings, Shepard can see an ever-increasing number of CSEC guards, carrying ever heavier armour, and more powerful weapons, there is no question they are here for her. The Council by now will have developed technology to detect Reaper presence, and she will light up their sensors like a Christmas tree. Seeing a few of the heavily armoured guards approach her cautiously, hands gripping weapons, Shepard points upwards, just as ships start to drop out of a mass relay corridor. If this happened 472 years ago, the Reaper war would never have been won, Nazara would have been victorious. In minutes, 1 million, 468 thousand and 391 Reapers are in the Serpent Nebula, from the small destroyers to the 10km large previously unseen gunships. Even if the Council was at full strength, with all their technological advancements made after the Reaper war, they would never stand a chance. With her time in Memorial Avenue at an end, Shepard approaches one of the guards who is simply sat, looking to the 'sky' and the million-plus strong Reaper armada that should spell his doom. Shepard may be forgotten, but the Reapers place in history is cemented in, their legacy never to be forgotten.</p>
<p>The guards provided Shepard with no resistance, and with permission granted, Shepard was escorted to the Council Tower, where people had chosen to flee to, looking for the Council to provide them with direction. In the Council tower, there is a crowd around the Council as they debate the current issue, but the crowd departs and becomes mute as Shepard approaches, they know what she is, and who she represents. Getting to the podium with the Council, Shepard looks at those who stand above her; the Asari, Krogan, Human, Turian, Volus, Salarian and Hanar representatives. "Creatures of blood and flesh, the Vong has this empire on its knees," Shepard says with deep mechanical undertones to her voice before any of the councillors could speak, "They did not plan on us."</p>
<p>Eventually, it is the Krogan to speak, "I remember you fighting the ones you come with. Now you have their stench. You have fallen far."</p>
<p>Shepard turns to look at the Krogan, Eve is her name. "I am not what you remember." Just as Shepard is about to finish speaking, she quickly raises a hand to the right side of her head and almost screeches, "You will be silent." It is evident to all that the comment is not for the Council or those in attendance. After regaining her exposure, she speaks again, "In just 5 weeks, the Vong will encroach this station, in 9 weeks, there will be no home system that has not been ravaged and its children slaughtered, in a year, most of the species before me will be extinct. Let me free, and we will see no further system is lost to the Vong."</p>
<p>"At what cost?" Comes a request from the Turian Councillor.</p>
<p>"Our lust is unquenchable," Shepard informs, her voice carrying a certain chill to it. "I may not wish to stop with the Vong."</p>
<p>"You can not expect us to make that decision." The Asari representative rebukes.</p>
<p>Shepard looks this Asari in the eyes as she says, "In 5 weeks you will no longer be able to make a decision, your time to act will have perished before you. I offer you the hand of the beast."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I never planned a Ch2 for this, but I was sat awake the other day thinking about this story and I had to put pen to paper again. I do not intend on continuing this.</p>
<p>Cheers</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Cheers for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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